Volunteers needed for August municipal election

Qualifying begins July 2

City election officials are seeking volunteers to work the polls in the seven districts for the Aug. 27 municipal election.

File | Dusty Compton | The Tuscaloosa News

By Jason MortonStaff Writer

Published: Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 4:05 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 4:05 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | City election officials need volunteers to work the polls in the seven voting districts for the Aug. 27 municipal election.

City Clerk Tracy Croom, who oversees the election for the City Council and city Board of Education races, said she wants 16 volunteers for each district.

As of Tuesday, there were eight volunteers signed up for District 1, 11 for District 2, three in District 3, five in District 4, nine in District 5, 12 in District 6 and 15 in District 7.

She said volunteers must be available for a two-hour training session on Aug. 15 — two weeks before the election — and must live in the district where they will work.

Volunteers will make at least $95 for the day, which Croom said is expected to last from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. for poll workers.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The city clerk is also preparing for July 2, when qualifying for the individual offices officially begins.

The qualifying window closes two weeks later.

Some challengers already are inquiring about what is required to seek election to the City Council, and Croom said she is advising them all to attend one of the council’s day of meetings on Tuesdays.

Starting at 1:30 p.m., the City Council usually meets continuously until the formal night meeting that begins at 6 p.m.

Croom and city staff members also are available to answer questions about general election issues, but she said they cannot give advice or support to anyone thinking of running.

“We can’t help a candidate, but we can point them in the right direction,” she said.

Key municipal election dates

July 2: Qualifying begins. Candidates must file a completed statement of economic interests on same day the candidate files qualifying documents. By law, the clerk must remove from the ballot the name of any candidate who fails to file the statement of economic interests by the deadline. Also, state law requires candidates to file, within five days of qualifying, with the probate judge’s office a statement naming the candidate’s principal campaign committee.

July 5: On this Friday, and on the Friday of each week beginning on the month before the election date, candidates are required to file campaign finance disclosure documents. In addition to July 5, these filing dates are July 12, July 19, July 26, Aug. 2, Aug. 9, Aug. 16 and Aug. 23.

July 16: Qualifying ends at 5 p.m., and the mayor can order the printing of ballots. As soon as possible after qualifying, however, the council must appoint a “disinterested person” to perform the mayor’s election duties if the mayor is a candidate in the election.

July 22: Deadline for a candidate filing a statement with the probate judge naming a principal campaign committee; the city clerk can forward statements of economic interest by candidates to the state’s Ethics Commission or notify the Ethics Commission of the name of each candidate and the date each person became a candidate; the City Council can place a voting machine, sample ballot or vote card on display.

July 23: City Council may vote to certify any lone qualifier for a particular office as the winner and thereby elected to office provided that no one else has qualified to challenge for the seat.

Aug. 13: First day that an electronic vote counting system can be tested. Notification of the tests must be made to the press and filed with the Secretary of State’s office at least 48 hours in advance.

Aug. 16: Voter registration deadline at the Tuscaloosa County Board of Registrars.

Aug. 22: Final day a voter can apply for a regular absentee ballot.

Aug. 26: Absentee ballots must be postmarked by this date or hand-delivered to the absentee election manager by no later than 5 p.m. Also, this is the final day a candidate can withdraw from the election by submitting written notice to the mayor.

<p>TUSCALOOSA | City election officials need volunteers to work the polls in the seven voting districts for the Aug. 27 municipal election.</p><p>City Clerk Tracy Croom, who oversees the election for the City Council and city Board of Education races, said she wants 16 volunteers for each district.</p><p>As of Tuesday, there were eight volunteers signed up for District 1, 11 for District 2, three in District 3, five in District 4, nine in District 5, 12 in District 6 and 15 in District 7.</p><p>She said volunteers must be available for a two-hour training session on Aug. 15 — two weeks before the election — and must live in the district where they will work.</p><p>Volunteers will make at least $95 for the day, which Croom said is expected to last from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. for poll workers.</p><p>The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.</p><p>The city clerk is also preparing for July 2, when qualifying for the individual offices officially begins.</p><p>The qualifying window closes two weeks later.</p><p>Some challengers already are inquiring about what is required to seek election to the City Council, and Croom said she is advising them all to attend one of the council's day of meetings on Tuesdays.</p><p>Starting at 1:30 p.m., the City Council usually meets continuously until the formal night meeting that begins at 6 p.m.</p><p>Croom and city staff members also are available to answer questions about general election issues, but she said they cannot give advice or support to anyone thinking of running.</p><p>“We can't help a candidate, but we can point them in the right direction,” she said.</p><p><b>Key municipal election dates</b></p><p>July 2: Qualifying begins. Candidates must file a completed statement of economic interests on same day the candidate files qualifying documents. By law, the clerk must remove from the ballot the name of any candidate who fails to file the statement of economic interests by the deadline. Also, state law requires candidates to file, within five days of qualifying, with the probate judge's office a statement naming the candidate's principal campaign committee.</p><p>July 5: On this Friday, and on the Friday of each week beginning on the month before the election date, candidates are required to file campaign finance disclosure documents. In addition to July 5, these filing dates are July 12, July 19, July 26, Aug. 2, Aug. 9, Aug. 16 and Aug. 23.</p><p>July 16: Qualifying ends at 5 p.m., and the mayor can order the printing of ballots. As soon as possible after qualifying, however, the council must appoint a “disinterested person” to perform the mayor's election duties if the mayor is a candidate in the election.</p><p>July 22: Deadline for a candidate filing a statement with the probate judge naming a principal campaign committee; the city clerk can forward statements of economic interest by candidates to the state's Ethics Commission or notify the Ethics Commission of the name of each candidate and the date each person became a candidate; the City Council can place a voting machine, sample ballot or vote card on display.</p><p>July 23: City Council may vote to certify any lone qualifier for a particular office as the winner and thereby elected to office provided that no one else has qualified to challenge for the seat.</p><p>Aug. 13: First day that an electronic vote counting system can be tested. Notification of the tests must be made to the press and filed with the Secretary of State's office at least 48 hours in advance.</p><p>Aug. 16: Voter registration deadline at the Tuscaloosa County Board of Registrars.</p><p>Aug. 22: Final day a voter can apply for a regular absentee ballot.</p><p>Aug. 26: Absentee ballots must be postmarked by this date or hand-delivered to the absentee election manager by no later than 5 p.m. Also, this is the final day a candidate can withdraw from the election by submitting written notice to the mayor.</p><p>Aug. 27: Election Day</p><p></p><p>Reach Jason Morton at jason.morton@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0200.</p>